Football state playoff results

Starmount lone area team left standing

Last updated: November 16. 2013 1:08AM - 2220 Views

Matthew Gorry Sports Writer

Senior Will Simpson led the Rams past Mitchell in the opening round of the 1AA state playoffs Friday night in Boonville. Starmount is the only area team still alive. For full recaps of the playoff openers, check out Monday's Tribune.

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Senior Will Simpson led the Rams past Mitchell in the opening round of the 1AA state playoffs Friday night in Boonville. Starmount is the only area team still alive. For full recaps of the playoff openers, check out Monday's Tribune.

SPARTA — It took nearly three quarters for the dormant Elkin offense to finally wake up in Friday’s rain-soaked 1A playoff opener in Sparta.

But once the Elks woke up, they nearly pulled off a 20-point, second-half comeback over Mountain Valley Conference rival Alleghany.

A batted pass in the endzone on fourth down proved to be the difference as the Trojans knocked off Elkin for the second time in three weeks, 28-7, t0 advance to the second round.

Playing their first home playoff game in over 15 years, Alleghany jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half, relying heavily on its strong rushing attack. Chandler Caudill found paydirt on 26- and four-yard touchdown runs to give the Trojans the early advantage.

The Trojans tacked on another score after opening the second half with a grinding, seven-minute drive that ended on a four-yard touchdown pass from Erik Lyons to Khalil Lawson, pushing the lead out to 20-0.

With 4:34 left in the third quarter, the Elks finally answered as Josh Strickland marched the team down the field.

The junior hit Jamiles Hayes on a 4th-and-6 pass to pick up the first down. On the next play, Hayes darted off left-tackle for the score, cutting the deficit to 20-7.

The Elkin defense came up huge in the fourth, forcing an Alleghany punt before Cory Anderson brought down Lyons on a strip-sack deep in Trojan territory with 5:00 remaining.

On 4th-and-7, Strickland picked a low snap off the field and hit Will Altemueller on a 14-yard strike to set the Elks up at the 5.

After a flag backed Elkin up to the 10, two incomplete passes and a sack set up a do-or-die, 4th-and-goal from the 13. Strickland dropped back and fired a pass that was knocked out of Tyrek Hayes’ hands in the endzone.

The Trojans added a final insurance score with under a minute to play to seal the 28-7 victory.

Elkin’s season ends at 6-6, while Alleghany stays alive in the 1A bracket, advancing to play Murphy next Friday.

In Boonville, Starmount rode a 28-point second half to a 42-7 victory over Mitchell in the 1AA playoff opener at home.

The second-seeded Rams fell behind 7-0 to No. 7 Mitchell in the first quarter before reeling off 42-unanswered points to cruise to the win.

After Starmount only took a 14-7 lead into the locker room at halftime, senior Will Simpson jump-started a ferocious explosion by returning the second-half kickoff 80 yards for the score.

From there, the Rams padded their lead and coasted to the commanding 42-7 victory.

Starmount (9-3) will meet third-seeded Cherryville (6-6) in the second round next Friday at home.

In Bryson City, top-seeded Swain County made quick work of No. 8 East Wilkes in Friday’s 1AA opener.

The Maroon Devils scored 21 points in the each of the first two quarters to take a comfortable 42-12 advantage into the break.

Swain led 56-12 after three quarters before the Cardinals scored 19 points in the fourth to make the final score more respectable, 56-31.

In Maiden, Forbush’s turnaround season came to an abrupt end in the first round of the 2AA playoffs Friday.

Maiden held a 21-0 lead at the halftime horn and cruised to the 35-0 shutout victory to advance.

The Falcons finished the season with a 6-6 overall record — their most wins since 2006.

For full recaps of playoff action, check out Monday’s edition of the Tribune.

Other area playoff scores:

North Wilkes 31, Brevard 28

Bunker Hill 20, Ashe County 17

North Rowan 42, Surry Central 0

Carver 53, Lake Norman Charter 14

Mount Airy 28, East Montgomery 7

East Surry 37, Walkertown 10

North Stanly 27, Bishop McGuinness 10

West Stokes 36, East Davidson 13

Reach Matthew Gorry at 835-1513 or mgorry@civitasmedia.com.

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